Online planning for a Utah ski trip

The snow is deep and the season is well underway at the ski resorts in the high mountains of Utah, and if you haven't made your reservations yet, it's time to study the possibilities and make a choice.

Consider heading a little north of Salt Lake City to Snowbasin — www.snowbasin.com/ — which isn't quite as big as some of the others with 64 runs and a dozen lifts, plus trails for Nordic skiers and snowshoers, but it spans 2,959 vertical feet. You'll need to check "About Snowbasin" for directions, and then check into "Travel & Lodging" for places to stay and a search engine to help you find a flight. If you're taking the kids, look under "Activities" for notes on Tubing Hill.

Everyone with a pair of skis has heard of Alta — www.alta.com/ — which boasts more than 100 runs from a peak elevation of 10,550 feet down to 8,500. Slide your cursor over "Our Mountain" for maps of the trails that lace the mountain and a virtual tour, and do the same with "Mountain Cams & Pics" to sample the scenery. By the way, snowboards aren't allowed at Alta.

Before you move on from Alta's Web site, hold your cursor over "Vacation Planning" to see the details on places to stay, vacation package deals and how easy a drive it is from the airport in Salt Lake City.

How about Park City — www.parkcitymountain.com/ — which also is a relatively short drive east of the Salt Lake City area. It advertises 100 trails and the longest, Homerun, is 3.5 miles long. Look under "Mountain Conditions" for the Web cams and panoramic photos, and then go to "Plan Your Trip" for lift reservations and package deals. A few miles south of Park City, Sundance — www.sundanceresort.com/ — is a year-round resort offering everything from alpine and crosscountry skiing to the arts. And the visual arts get a workout in the"Online Photo Gallery," reachable under "Arts & Culture." There are even photo galleries of the lodgings to help you pick a place to stay.

If you still haven't decided, Ski Utah — www.skiutah.com/ — has detailed profiles and snow reports for all of Utah's resorts. Look up Lightning Ridge and learn that one of its highest peaks is reachable only by a Snowcat tow. Or how about Wolf Mountain, a smaller area described as family friendly. If you want to ski where the lifts don't go, look for the "Activities" Section and click on "Skiing/Nordic" for helicopter skiing companies. Ski Utah can also help you find places to stay or rent gear.